


Crossroads: Junction's End

by Krisser__kris



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: First Time, M/M, post Crossroads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-02-25
Updated: 2001-02-25
Packaged: 2017-12-05 11:57:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/723040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krisser__kris/pseuds/Krisser__kris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blair takes Jim's words to heart and acts upon them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossroads: Junction's End

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Mary for the beta.

**Crossroads: Junction’s End**

**by Krisser**

 

 

“I finally shook them.” Jim said aloud as Blair followed Simon to the car.

Hearing Jim’s words, Blair turned and stared at Jim, nodded his head his once then ran to catch up with Banks.

On the drive back, Simon rehashed the events for the last two days. Blair un-huhed in the right places, nodded where needed and let the Captain carry the conversation all the way to Cascade.

As they arrived in front of 852 Prospect, Blair commented, “Guess with Jim gone, I should cut back my hours?” feeling out the waters.

Simon answered without thought, “Yeah, we won’t be needing you. Now, I gotta get home and shower.” Simon drove off with a wave.

With a heavy heart, Blair made a decision.

\-------

Ellison arrived home two days early. Found he didn’t need to be as alone as much as he thought. He noted that the Volvo was absent, so Sandburg was out. Probably looking to get laid, he was pissed that Blair wasn’t home. He opened the door and threw his keys in the basket created just so Blair would be able to find his. In that very minute he noticed the stale air. He sniffed and there wasn’t any fresh indication of Sandburg. He then saw the note on the table; he picked it up with a sense of foreboding.

_Jim-_

_Sorry I’ve been in your face._

_I thought I was a friend, but Naomi was right I always overstay my welcome._

_Got way enough stuff for the dissertation---don’t worry, you’ll read it first._

_Recently, just recorded stuff for your personal benefit._

_Really sorry about your space. See ya._

_B. Sandburg_

Damn!

He went to look inside Blair’s room and saw boxes, ‘well he’ll have to pick up these.’ He thought to himself. He went to the phone and called Simon. He was a little pissed that his guide didn’t leave his new number.

“Simon, what’s Sandburg’s new number?”

There was a long pause, then Simon replied reluctantly, “Don’t know Jim, he turned in his observers pass the morning after we got back.” Simon sighed heavily.

“What’d he say? Why didn’t you stop him?” Jim couldn’t believe how empty he felt suddenly.

“Don’t know Jim, it was on my desk with a note of gratitude and regret that he overstayed his welcome. Didn’t say anything else. Guess he took you at your word, being in his face too much.”

“Oh,” said the man who had the art of verbal communication down.

“You okay?” Simon couldn’t tell.

“Yeah fine. See ya Monday.” Jim put down the phone. “Fuck!”

The man went to the balcony and stood looking out at nothing. 

 

**Two Months Later**

 

“Banks,” Simon said into the receiver.

“Captain Banks, my name is Jed Watkins and I am an officer with the Rosco, Texas Police Department. We have a man named Blair in custody and your card has been the only number we could find and we just found it.”

“Blair Sandburg?” Simon signaled to Joel to get Ellison.

“Don’t know his last name, would never give it. He only told us his first name. He’s five seven, blue eyes, shoulder length, brown curly hair. Is that the Blair you know?”

“Yes that sounds like Blair Sandburg. What’s he charged with?”

Jim walked in with his hearing open as he heard Simon’s last sentence.

“Well sir, he was charged with drunk and disorderly, creating a public nuisance and under the influence. Only thing was he had no drugs in his system or in his possession. He’d only two beers, but he’d argued with the sheriff and the county judge. They threw the book at him. It was cause of his hair and manner of dress.”

“I see, does he have counsel?” The Captain offered to hold the phone closer to Jim, but his detective waved it off, he was hearing fine. He scribbled a note to Banks.

“He declined,” the officer told him.

“Why isn’t he calling us, Officer?” Simon asked what Jim questioned.

“He waved his rights to a phone call.”

Jim whispered for Simon’s ears, “There’s something he’s not telling us.” Jim could tell there was something off with the man’s breathing.

“Officer Watkins, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Well sir, we’ve had him in custody for two months.” Watkins told him.

“What?” Barked Ellison.

Simon wasn’t any less loud with, “What? Why are you just contacting me now?” Irritation evident in his voice.

“We only knew him as Blair. We only got your number this morning. He had pre-paid his room and the rent ran out last week and the proprietor of the boarding house just called us today.” His voice lowered, “Captain Banks, we all like Blair, he just pissed off the judge and so he got the maximum sentence of six months or ten thousand dollars. Blair took the time.”

Simon sighed, “Officer, if I came down there, would I be able to have my man released?”

“I think so sir,” Watkins told him.

“Okay, expect me tomorrow. Thank you for calling.” Simon hung up the phone.

Detective Ellison stood looking at Simon, “Did I get any of that wrong? Sandburg’s been in jail for two months because of how he looked?”

Simon pinched his nose, “Yeah and he declined all his rights.”

Jim shook his head as he sat down, “He’s been in jail this whole time,” he looked intently at his Captain, “I’m going with you.”

“Never thought different.”

\---

**Texas**

 

They landed in Landers and had a two hour drive into Rosco. That would put them into town about eight o’clock in the morning. Simon knew that Jim was prepared to do battle to get Sandburg released.

If the situation weren’t so worrisome, Simon would have smiled at his detective. He was as anticipatory as a kid awaiting Christmas. He couldn’t tell Jim that, he’d deny that he missed Sandburg, but he looks happier than he’s been since he’d found Blair gone.

Jim had become grumpier with each passing day. He refused another partner, just told Simon he would use his enhanced senses less, to avoid zone outs.

Simon wouldn’t have admitted it before, but the anthropologist had been an asset to department and invaluable to Ellison. Banks had never really understood Sandburg’s roll with Jim, just took his friend’s word that the younger man could help Jim control his gift. Little had he realized that Blair was baseline anchor to Ellison. Blair had also seemed to have tempered the tiger.

The staff had forgotten how gruff and solitary Ellison was until Blair’s absence. Now they remember intently why no one wanted to be partnered with their best detective. With Sandburg gone, Ellison reverted back and refused to even speak Blair’s name. Then in contrast, at just his name over the phone, it had been difficult to keep Jim from leaving that very minute after he’d hung up the phone. Ellison needed to have a very serious talk with himself.

They entered the only police station of the small town. There was only one man on duty.

“Good morning, I’m here about Blair Sandburg,” Banks told the officer.

The officer stood up, “Jed Watkins, I wanted to be here when you arrived. I would like to talk to you. Let’s go into the captain’s office. He doesn’t come into three thirty.”

Ellison was impatient, “Can we see Blair now?”

Officer Watkins got a protective look and stance as he answered, “Not at the moment.” He led them into the office and shut the door.

Jim was worried that something was wrong and searched for Blair’s heartbeat. He found it quickly and close by. He was asleep. Jim relaxed and turned to listen to what Watkins had to say.

Jed Watkins seemed to understand that the two men were concerned for their friend. “Blair’s asleep, he’s doesn’t know that you were coming and I hate to break his routine.”

Both Ellison and Banks had incredulous expressions on their faces. Simon thought, ‘Damn, that Sandburg.’

Jed almost laughed, “Let me explain. He writes ‘til the wee hours and he doesn’t eat breakfast anyway, so we let him sleep in. Blair is not much of a morning person.” He smiled fondly and Jim found himself irritated at Jed’s knowledge of his friend. Jed’s voice became more official, “In this town, Blair looked like a hippie-drug kinda guy and that was how he was approached. The Sheriff and Judge took exception to his attitude.”

Both men tried to interrupt but Watkins held up his hand, “He wasn’t belligerent or rude. I think he made them feel like fools, so they wanted to make him pay by arresting him. Only thing is, Blair wouldn’t give us any information and refused to fight the charges. At that time, we didn’t know what kind of guy he was. I could lose my job for telling you this but Earl and I just want to help Blair.” Again his fond feelings for the jailed man were evident in his voice.

Watkins pushed his chair back and brought his left foot up and rested it on his right thigh. “Blair didn’t talk at all at first. Then about two weeks into his sentence, he asked for pen and paper. He writes all the time. Then the following week, Earl and I had been talking at shift change and I told him about the wife, later when I was making rounds, outta the blue Blair spoke.”

// “You can make it right with your wife, just tell her what you told Earl. That kind of honesty will work like hotcakes. Females love that basic honesty, oh and say thank you occasionally, you’d be surprised how many points that’ll get ya.” Blair had told the deputy.

“What? I tell her I love her.” Jed was caught by the timber of Blair’s voice, like he knew the secrets of the ages.

“Sometimes it’s too easily said, but telling her that’s she’s the only one you can see yourself getting older with, well man, that will melt her heart, especially if it’s the truth.” //

Watkins looked at the officers and told them, “He was right. After that night, Blair talked a lot,” Jed noted the grins on the officer’s faces, that must be Blair’s usual modis operandi.

“Folks that were in the cells for a few days, drunk or hold overs, thanked us for a nice stay. One guy, Stanton, our town lush, came back sober every afternoon to talk with Blair. Stan told Earl that Blair was the best thing that had ever happened to him.”

“Hell, somehow, Blair helped most all of us around here. Guess I want to help him now that I can. Would have done something sooner, but like I told ya, we didn’t have anything else to go on.” Jed looked to both men.

Banks asked the question that Jim was curious about, “How come you didn’t tell him you called us?”

“Blair never said anything about you guys or Washington at all. Didn’t say much about himself at all. Did tell us about the adventures he had in Asia, Africa, and South America during college. Sure made those places sound great. Still, can’t help but get the idea he was kinda sad. So Earl and I want to get Blair set free. We’d love to keep him here for the next four months, but it ain’t right.”

“Whom do I call?” Simon asked.

“This here is Judge Ketner’s number,” Jed said as he handed him a three by five card.

Simon cleared his throat and dialed, “Judge Ketner, please………..Captain Simon Banks, Cascade Police, Major Crimes Division.” Simon waited, then, “Judge, I hear you have one of my undercover officers in your jail. Where he might be having a nice vacation, but I need him back for a case…..yes, sir, he can be a pain in the ass……yes, his attitude can be trying, but that’s what makes him a good undercover detective……Well, thank you, sir, I do appreciate it. I’ll hand the phone to your Officer now.” Simon did and nodded to Ellison and heard his expended breath of relief.

“Nice job, Captain,” Watkins smiled at Banks, “Paper work will take about two hours. I can release him then. He should also be awake by then.” Watkins kept smiling, then his expression became rueful as he added, “But we’ll sure miss him.”

Jim asked quietly, “May I go sit back there. He’s my partner…” Jim felt the need to connect on many different levels. In his head he admitted that he had missed him like hell.

“Just don’t wake him,” Jed admonished, his protective streak still evident.

As Ellison followed him back, he couldn’t help but think that Blair could have charmed his way out of jail if he had wanted. So why didn’t he?

The Sentinel heard the steady beat as he got closer. He also got his first strong whiff of Blairscent and found himself relaxing more. He wanted to be curious about the giddy feeling he was experiencing, but decided to examine it later.

Blair was lying on a cot, stomach down, hand resting on the floor. Jim sat on the chair Watkins indicated and nodded as the protective officer reminded him to be quiet.

When he was alone, he sniffed the air for a strong intake of Blair’s scent. He locked out the other odors and concentrated on Blair’s alone. It was like fireworks dancing on his spine. As though his whole body recognized Blair and realized how much it missed him.

The only reason he didn’t zone out on the smell was his continual tab keeping of Blair’s heart. He noted that Blair was waking up, even if his body hadn’t moved yet.

Blair has to come home. Home? When did he start thinking of the loft as Blair’s home. He didn’t know, but he knew that the last two months had been hell without him there. It had become just a place. It’ll be home after Blair gets back, if he gets back. He knew he had to get him back.

Blair knew that his Sentinel was sitting outside the cell. He accepted the knowing as a Guide/Sentinel thing. The guide knew he couldn’t fool the man into thinking that he was still asleep so he turned over and stared at the man that filled his dreams.

“Hey, Chief, you’d better tell Watkins out there, that I didn’t wake you up.” Ellison couldn’t believe how choked up he felt at saying ‘chief’ to the one that owned the nickname.

“He’s getting laid again, so he’s does special favors for me.” Blair smiled with his lips, not his eyes.

Jim couldn’t believe how irritated that made him feel, until he remembered Jed talking about his wife. Whoa boy, where’d that jealousy come from? He shoved it to the back of his mind as he let his eyes feast on his guide.

Blair looked at Jim with shielded eyes, so Jim couldn’t read them that way.

That made it difficult for Jim, as usually he could gain so much from a single look into Blair’s eyes. So he was forced to ask one of his questions. “Why’d you choose the jail time, Chief?”

“Reason doesn’t matter. I have a responsibility and I need to take it more seriously. Sorry, Jim, for leaving you in the lurch.”

Jim noted that his guide’s voice was sincere, but Blair didn’t meet his eyes. Blair seemed so subdued, but two months in jail could do that.

“After we spring you, are you returning with us?” Jim held his breath as he waited for an answer.

“Yes, I am a guide.”

Jim couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off kilter, but it never occurred to him to just ask. He was feeling quite relieved Blair didn’t ask to talk about it. Jim didn’t even know what he had planned on saying.

Jed came in to open the cell door. He smiled at Blair as he handed him his morning coffee. “You’re shower is set,” he told the young man. To Jim, “You can come out front and wait there. Fresh coffee and donuts.”

Jed led him to the break room and they sat at the table.

“A few folks will be stopping by to wish Blair off. John and Harvey in particular. Both wanted to pay his bail, but Blair had refused. John shared some of his conversations.”

// “We all have commitments, once we enter into them we must follow through, that’s the difference between having what it takes and not. Some types of commitments are tough, but the only way to look at yourself with pride each day is to know that you did the best you could.” Blair told John, with a new understanding of the words.

John spent several days thinking on the words and returned to tell the younger man. “Blair, thank you and I think for the man you are, deep and humane, it’s a great burden you carry to know so much at such a young age. Only with much loneliness personally experienced, would have enabled you the depth of compassion and understanding to know how to reach me , but reach me you did.

“I don’t know Harvey, I think it was just your time.” Blair told him sincerely, “Things happen for reasons.” //

Jed looked at Jim, trying to gage if this was normal Blair behavior. “Blair refused to take actual credit. Told me at dinner that most folks can figure out their own stuff with a few pointed questions. John came by every day for the last five weeks.

// “John, you just have to ask yourself the hard questions and be honest to yourself about the answer-doesn’t do any good to be to lie yourself, man.” Blair told him as he looked at the ceiling.

“What if you don’t like the answer,” John asked in a subdued voice.

“Ask yourself what are you really willing to live with, then you either accept the situation as is or you leave.” Blair knew these were his questions.

“Thanks Blair, how you know this stuff?” John seemed amazed.

“Just stuff my father told me.”//

“Blair told him his father passed this on to him?” Jim was amazed, Sandburg didn’t know his father.

Jed smiled, “I learned so much from Blair. Hope that you, Jim, as his partner can help him.”

Jim looked hard at Jed, “What’s his problem?”

“Blair never talked about it, just knew it was there.” Watkins held a sad expression then stood to finish Blair’s paper work.

Jim went to join Simon and was surprised at the number of people in and still coming into the office. He looked over to Simon speaking with another officer.

That officer answered the look sheepishly, “These are some of the people that just want to say goodbye to Blair.”

Simon had been surprised and then again, not really. Sandburg did have a charm that most folks seem to like. The more surprising part was that Blair did it in only two months while in jail.

The older man knew that Jim seemed relieved, but wasn’t completely happy either. He wondered what he and Sandburg talked about.

Blair came out in clean clothes and Jim immediately sniffed the air for the Blairscent again. “Chief,” he greeted him, then without thought, he got up and walked to Blair pulling him into a gentle embrace. The Sentinel needed to touch his guide. Knew he needed this connection in addition to the sight, sound and smell of him, reaffirm him. Jim found himself wondering what his guide tasted like, then pushed it aside.

Jim then noted that for the first time ever, Blair wasn’t hugging him back. So he tightened his embrace and then slowly Blair’s arms came up to his waist and rested on his back. “Glad you’re coming back with us.” Jim said this close to Blair’s ear and was emotionally exhausted from expressing that private feeling. He felt Blair shiver and figured his guide was cold. He usually was.

Blair waited for Jim to finish the embrace, hoping that Jim was still dense and didn’t recognize the shiver for what it was. He used all his will power to stop his head from resting tight against Jim’s neck.

After he was freed, he said hi to Simon then looked over to his new friends and walked into their circle.

Jim shamelessly listened in to the comments:

“We’re goin’ to miss ya.”

“You come back to visit.”

“You’d better write.”

“You could relocate here. We’ll work on the judge and get you a job.”

Blair laughed and Jim realized he was worried that Blair would take them up on it. He looked happy with them. Jim asked himself if that meant that he thought that Blair was unhappy and Jim couldn’t answer, his thoughts were too muddled.

With hugs and addresses exchanged and promises to come back, the Cascade detectives were finally ready to leave. Watkins had brought all of Blair’s things down to the station and returned the rental car. He said goodbye reluctantly.

As they went to the car, Simon asked, “Where’s your car?”

“New Mexico, long story.” Blair told them as they headed to the airport.

\------

**Cascade**

 

Work days seemed the same as they were before, but the nights for Jim, were rough. Blair was hardly ever there. And Jim hated it.

He wanted to watch a Jags game, make dinner, talk. Yeah, even talk.

Jim missed Blair.

Driving back from a brass meeting with his captain found Simon asking, “Why’s Blair so tired looking?”

“Don’t know. Stays out late every night.” Some of Jim’s disappointment showed in his voice.

Simon commented, “Well, he’s giving you what you asked for.”

“I miss him.”

Perplexed, “Ellison, you ever tell him that? You ever ask about why he left?”

“No to both.”

“Shit, Jim. He’ll leave altogether unless you straighten this out.”

The detective went on the defensive, “He said he wouldn’t leave, he’s the guide.”

“That all he’s around for?”

“That’s what’ll keep him here.”

“Ellison for a smart man, you sure are stupid.” Simon wouldn’t say any more. He just hoped his friend could see what was obvious to him when they were on the plane. Blair has some very deep feelings for Jim.

Jim kept silent. He heard the rapping on the closed door in his head but he was afraid to answer.

\---

Over the next week, Jim couldn’t get the conversation with Simon out of his head.

Blair came in about eleven thirty and Jim had waited up. “Chief, we need to talk.”

“Talk. You want to talk. Okay who died?” Blair was surprised.

“No one. Just we never talked about why you left and I think we should.”

“Jim, told ya the reason wasn’t viable anymore. Forget it.”

“Sandburg, when I said you were in my face all the time, I didn’t mean ALL the time. Just the tests and things. I didn’t mean you being here…”

Blair interrupted, “I understand, Jim.”

“Blair, I didn’t say..”

With visibly restrained anger, Blair snapped, “Jim, I understand!” Then he sighed, relenting, his voice now a monotone, “I really do understand. I know you, Jim. You feel deep, you’re more compassionate than most. Words are not your friend. End of story. I’m tired, I’m going to bed.” He closed his door behind him.

Jim knocked on the door, “Chief, I…..”

“Jim, I’m fine. Sorry for losing my temper.”

Jim sighed, he didn’t understand what Blair understood.

\-----

Over the next several weeks, Blair would work with Jim on his cases, then spend his evenings at the school, grading papers, staying out of Jim’s face. So Blair was surprised when he smelled Chinese and saw his roommate enter his uniquely organized office.

“Thought you might not be eating like you should, so I brought dinner.” Jim said by way of a greeting.

Sandburg took off his glass and squeezed the bridge rest of his nose then turned to face Jim. The quizzical smile had him answering in pleasure. “Thanks, Jim, this is a real nice surprise.”

Ellison made some room on one of the tables and opened the cartons as Blair got napkins and paper plates. They passed the containers back and forth as they rehashed one of their cases, then Jim slipped in a nonsequitur.

“Chief, why’d you stay anonymous in Rosco?”

“Had some thinking to do. Didn’t have the money. I was where I needed to be.”

“For those other folks you helped?” Trying to understand.

Blair smiled, “No, for myself. Just so happened that talking with some of those folks helped me see some stuff clearer.”

“What stuff?” Jim wasn’t sure where he was going, just he had to do something, cause this time he was positive that Blair wouldn’t.

“Life, direction, crossroads. The usual.” Blair answered. Jim thought deep, but he didn’t like to talk deep, Blair was curious despite himself.

“Why’d you leave?” Jim braved.

Sighing, “You made me feel I’d overstayed my welcome. Three years over.”

“I didn’t mean it that way, living with you has worked out fine.” Jim wished he could say that it wasn’t a home until Blair moved in, but he couldn’t.

“I know.” Blair got up and walked around. Hands moving about as he spoke. “It was my fault. I took some stuff personally and I shouldn’t. I lost my focus and forgot my commitment to being a guide. I won’t do that again. I can give you my word.”

“Is that the only reason you’re staying here?” Jim asked, thinking on what Simon had said.

“Jim, where you going with this?” Blair asked instead of answering the question.

“I don’t know,” the sentinel answered cowardly.

Blair was confused, Jim was sending so many different signals, he’d bet that Jim really didn’t know. Blair figured that he was afraid to admit that he needed his guide. He’d have to reassure Jim on that point. “Jim, let’s go home and talk about this.” Blair gathered up his stuff as he threw out the now empty cartons.

Jim cleaned up the rest and reheard Blair’s last line in his head. “Chief, do you think of the loft as home?

Blair froze, thinking shit to himself and forced himself to answer calmly. “Am I not suppose to refer to your place that way?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Jim said brusquely.

“Okay, I’ll just meet you back there.” Blair headed toward his car before he said something he shouldn’t.

Jim just watched him walk away, wondering where his usual bounce was.

Blair was already sitting on the couch with two beers out when Jim threw his keys next to Sandburg’s in the basket.

“Blair,” Jim began and paused as the person of that name looked surprised at it’s use. Jim smiled and began again, “Blair, what I meant when I asked about you thinking of here as home, was how not a home it was when you were gone.”

Blair had to blink a few times to get Jim’s meaning. “You missed me.”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t use your senses much, so you missed your guide.” Blair was trying to clarify.

“Yes, but no.” Jim replied helpfully.

“Jim, yer killing me here. I’m trying to help you, but you just gotta include a few more words.”

Jim looked at the man sitting next to him, facing him and wanted to grab him and prevent him from ever leaving again. “I’ve been sticking everything behind that little door in my head, but it keeps knocking and I know I have to answer it.” Jim was confused and it did show.

Blair grinned to himself, Jim couldn’t even talk to himself in an open manner. Then the user of words wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear Jim’s words, but he told Jim the truth.

“I think that it’s important that you open the door. Just do it slowly and we’ll deal with it one thing at a time. Okay, Jim?”

Jim kind of nodded. “You say we a lot. How come?”

Blair blinked, was Jim redirecting? “We’re a team, partners, even if I’m not suppose to say it. I’m the guide, I’m guiding.”

“I like how you do that. Makes me feel…..good.” Jim shared quietly. Jim was flooded with a lot of good feelings after admitting that.

Blair smiled, bemused by the simple honesty.

“I missed you.” Jim told his guide, looking him in the eye.

“The Sentinel missed his guide.” Blair wanted this clear.

Agitated, “No, Jim missed Blair. I missed your clutter, your scent…”

“Missing my scent is a Sentinel thing. My clutter, this proves you’re going crazy.”

“No, I was going crazy without you. The people we work with were getting a fund for a P.I. They said I was grumpy.”

“I bet they used harsher terminology.” Blair smiled, not sure where this was going.

“Ah, yeah. But I missed you. The loft was empty, I was empty,” Jim sat, thunderstruck, not having admitted this to himself before. Blair was equally thunderstruck, but remained silent, letting Jim work this out in his own way. But Blair was feeling the smallest piece of hope.

“I kept hunting for your heartbeat. Your heart beat was like an assurance that all was okay. Without it, nothing was right. ……Since you’ve been back it’s still lonely. I want to share meals and TV with you, but you were still gone. I don’t want you to be gone.”

“Okay, I’ll come home and do any school stuff here.” Blair reassured his friend.

“Blair, is that the only reason you came back was because you’re my guide?” Jim asked the question that Blair avoided earlier.

“Mostly.”

“Do you think of this place as your home?” Jim prodded.

“I did.”

“Yeah, so did I. When you left, it wasn’t. If you leave again, it won’t be.”

Blair interrupted, “Jim, I told you….”

Jim’s face changed as a thought occurred, “Blair, if you leave, I’ll have to go with you. See, you’re home. So if I want one, I have to be with you.” For Jim, everything was clear.

For Blair, things were still a bit muddy. “Jim, you’ve got a job…”

Jim smiled, “Blair, I love you. That’s what all this meant, what was behind the closed door. I fell in love with you somewhere along the way. You’re the only one I want to grow old with.”

The sun paled in contrast to Blair’s smile, it radiance warmed Jim’s soul. “I love you too, Jim. Have for a long while. Home is where you are.”

Jim reached out and gently traced Blair’s jaw, then his finger trapped a chestnut curl and wrapped his finger inside. Loving the texture of the hair, he ran more fingers through it as he softly tugged it to bring the beloved face of his guide closer. It was slow enough that if Blair didn’t want it, he could move away. Jim needn’t have worried, Blair couldn’t get close enough fast enough.

Their lips met in a gentle introductory kiss, but the taste and smell permeated and both had to have more. Lips opened, tongues dueled, tasted, plundered.

Heaven.

Each others thoughts were mirrors to the other.

Fingers unbuttoned, hands caressed, explored. Tongues followed the seeking fingers, leaving fire trails in their wake. Growls and low-throated purrs answered the touches.

Jim drew in a deep breath of Blairscent and groaned aloud, “I am so close, don’t want to dial down.”

Blair smiled his understanding into the nipple he was laving. So he took his tongue and followed the center line to the navel and sucked there as his fingers undid button and zipper. He released the trapped vassal of god-like nectar for his viewing. A single jeweled drop beckoned him to taste and he did not resist its call. He swallowed Jim’s entire cock hungrily, prepared for the bucking hips that accompanied the moans of pleasure.

“Blairblairblairblair. Oh yess. Ahh” Jim cried out as he came with more force than he could ever remember.

Blair milked the shaft until all its offerings were depleted. He cleaned it so that no residuals could be found. He smiled in joy as he rubbed his face in his new lover’s groin breathing in the Jim scent.

Boneless as he was, Jim rested his hand in his partner’s hair, caressing the curls. After a few glorious moments of undiluted joy, the Sentinel pulled his guide up and kissed him, loving the taste of himself inside his lover’s mouth. He flipped positions and unbuttoned Blair’s jeans. He nuzzled the intense scent of arousal, Blair’s arousal for him. He would have zoned but for Blair’s caressing of his head. He licked and teased the throbbing cock before he finally took it into his mouth maddeningly slow. Blair begged, pleaded, moaned and tried to move to get it inside sooner. But Jim controlled the pace and Blair was writhing below him. One hand in his lover’s hair, gripping what little he could, the other gripped the sofa cushion.

“Jiiiimmmm,” was shouted as a mantra before Blair exploded into the eagerly awaiting mouth. One that wanted this prize as no other.

Sated, they snuggled together, wrapped in loving arms. Whispering more words of love they looked forward to the morrow.

fini


End file.
